Hana Takeda

The Kimura Ihei Award (木村伊兵衛写真賞, Kimura Ihei Shashin-shō?) is a Japanese photographic award that attracts the attention of the mass media and book-buyers.

The award has been given every year since 1975 (except 1983) by the Asahi Shimbun Company, publisher of Asahi Shimbun and the magazine Asahi Camera, in honor of the photographer Ihei Kimura. It is given to one or more new photographers whose work has been exhibited or published during the previous year and is announced in the April issue of Asahi Camera: its original name, soon shortened, was Asahi Kamera Kimura Ihei Shashin-shō (アサヒカメラ木村伊兵衛写真賞).

The award is given for achievement during the previous year and is usually given to a single photographer. In 2000, the unprecedented awarding of three prizes, each to a female photographer, caused a stir.

Its major rival for attention in the mass media is the Domon Ken Award, given annually to a single photographer, usually one with a more solid background than those who win the Kimura Award.